Protector
by rumbarrelsandships
Summary: Neal is back and not happy about Killian helping the group in Neverland. Stories are mixed up, the truth confused. What happens when Neal spills some words about Killian that Emma is not happy about? Set in 3A, The Neverland Arc


He was alive. The man who abandoned her, the man she loved, the father of her son, was alive. She had finally moved on with her life and he was alive. When she watched him go through that portal…it was closure. The final chapter to their relationship. She could cut all ties to him and focus on Henry but no, the reckless people from above decided to put her in this situation.

Then there was him. The infuriating, pretentious, cocky, pirate who seemed set on a mission to follow her everywhere. The pirate who had the adorable nervous tick of scratching behind his ear, the pirate who has the smooth British accent that could keep anyone hypnotized, the pirate who has the rich chuckle that sends shivers down her spine, the pirate who is an honorable man and the pirate that came back for her and Henry. And the pirate in which Neal hated.

''Emma...you can't trust him...you know that, right?'' Neal started, ''he's a criminal who won't care what happens to us if we become trapped by Pan!''

She couldn't look at him, not when he was saying these awful things about him when he is standing right there. Right beside her. She could hear him shuffle and stumble awkwardly and the familiar sound of the cork popping on his flask. She kept her head low down, her face covered by her hair, not giving away her emotions, where it was safe.

''He took my family from me and he sold me out to that monster! He'll do it again Emma!'' Neal ranted on.

That was enough for him. He scoffed and stood up, shaking his head, not looking at me. His eyes are glued on the ground in front of him as he stalked off to who knows where.

''He stole my mother from me, he made her come with him when she didn't want to leave me behind, he got her killed, Ems. When I went with the shadow and nearly drowned and I didn't know who he was, he was talking about family! Like he has any, serves him right! He gave me up so he could keep his own life.'' He stated.

''He started saying how his father left him like mine did, I thought he cared about me Emma, I really did. But I know he was just a lying, selfish pirate who deserved to have no family with him. Who would want to be with him anyway?'' Neal wouldn't stop going on.

_Everyone deserves family._

I finally get the courage to stand up, shakily though, I raise my head to get a full view of Neal's standpoint. His hair is disheveled but not like Killian's hair is. Killian's black mop is messily wavy, sticking up in the right places, trailing to a stubble just above the end of his neck. Neal's is spiking upwards in any direction, strands are sticking to his forehead, some clumps are coated with earth. His eyes are narrowed, the darkness of restless nights are clearly visible under his eyes.

''I'm not having this conversation with you, Neal.'' I say wearily as I trudge in the direction Killian went in.

He's sitting on a fallen tree sharpening his hook when I reach him. I sit gingerly on the ground beside him and I sense him flinch.

''Are you okay?'' I say after a moment of silence.

''Fine Swan, go back to your prince.'' he says coldly.

''I want to hear it from you'' I reply, ignoring his steely glare.

''Hear what?'' Killian retorts.

''Neal said you got Milah killed, I believe there are two sides to every story. I want to hear it from you'' I repeat.

He hesitates, he's guarded too, maybe more than I am. The facade he puts on fools everyone but me. Underneath the surface all you have is a lonely, empty, shell of a man. Anyone can flash a broken smile or fake a humorous laugh but you will never get past someone like me. Someone who plays all the same tricks.

''I...I met her at a bar. She was so lonely, depressed even. She only came over to our table when she was more intoxicated than I was. A little while after I was seeing her more regularly she told me about Baelfire. About how she felt guilty that she was leaving him". Killian's head bows lower, ashamed.''We made plans to take him with us if we had run away''. Then one day that bloody imp came onto my ship and shouted at her, degraded her. He was angry that she had left him and Baelfire. He crushed her heart right in front of me. Do you know what her last words were? I love you. Never got to say them back of course.'' He lets out a dark, broken chuckle. I'm not sure who he's trying to convince that he's moved on.

''To seal the deal he had to get all his anger out, didn't he? That's why I don't have this-'' He gestures silently to his missing hand. ''I became the pirate I am now, hoping I could avenge her death. I just wanted closure.'' he confesses. ''When I found Baelfire again, I thought I could start over with him. Maybe become a father of sorts. When he found out who I was, he wanted off the ship and nothing to do with me. I tried to offer him a home, a family but he didn't want that. So, I made the biggest mistake of my life and carted him off to Pan.'' he whispers quietly.

''But Rumpelstiltskin told a different tale to Neal of course''. I trail off

He nods his head softly.

''Killian, I-''

''Emma! There you are! I've been looking for you for ages, didn't think you could come back to me? He flashes me a lopsided smile

Words catch in my throat, suffocating me. I give a small smile and look down, trying to have as little eye contact as possible.

''What are you doing with _him_?'' Neal's voice drips with venom and my head snaps up,

I look towards the ansty pirate beside me and see he is more broken than ever. His hook and good hands are supporting his head, he is crouched down, gasping.

I can do this.

'Well you know what Neal? That pirate has been saving our asses since day one on this island! Not once has he jeopardized me or our group, he didn't even have to come here! He hasn't even met Henry for God's sake!'' I blurt out. I see Neal wants to but in but not this time. ''He has been aligned against someone he could have just have easily sided with in the first place!''

''Emma I-'' Neal starts

''NO NEAL! That man there has been through hell and backwards! For one he let the man who killed the woman he loved onto his ship, _his home. _You've not stopped to think about how he offered you a life with him, a family but _you _turned him down. You said he couldn't love or be loved, well guess what Neal? GUESS WHAT! There is someone who has been in love with him ever since he knew more about me in a day than you knew in months.'' I confess, finally.

''You-you love him?'' Neal splutters out

''Yes. I love him. I love the crinkle under his eyes when he really, really smiles. I love the way he scratches behind his ear when he's nervous. I love the way he has a laugh reserved for me. I love the way he comes back for me, even when he could saunter off and never see me again. I love the way he understands me more than anyone I've ever known and I sure as hell love him more than I ever loved you'' I finish

Neal's face contorts into a strange shape, almost like he's been given a supercomputer at 3 years old and doesn't know how to work it.

''This isn't over Ems'' Neal says through gritted teeth, glancing at the both of us.

We both watch him dive into the wreck of vegetation that surrounds us angrily. Killian straightens himself up and composes himself.

''Quite passionate Swan'' He says, each word rolling off his tongue slowly.

I blush.

''Well...'' I don't know where I'm going with that sentence...

''Did you mean what you said, Emma?'' he asks quietly while stepping closer to me.

I consider my answer for a moment, do I distance myself or do I open up to him?

''Yes, I did'' I blurt out before I can change my mind.

He encloses our hands together and gives me a warm, hearty smile.

''Well then I guess I love you too, Emma Swan'' He murmurs in my ear.


End file.
